Recovery
by smileyvanilla
Summary: Hazel would find that recovery is a peculiar word that people often misunderstand. Percy/Annabeth, post-Tartarus, (slight AU after the release of HoH).


_**Recovery.**_

**Rating: **K

**Pairings: **Hazel POV. Percy/Annabeth.

**Summary: **Hazel would find that _recovery_ is a peculiar word that people often misunderstand.

**A/N: **I just finished the House of Hades, and am quite disappointed with RR's ending; especially his portrayal of Percy and Annabeth post-Tartarus. So here I am, posting a fic!

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_Recovery- n. a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength. _

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As a child, it was not uncommon for Hazel to scrape her knee, or to bruise her arm. On her nicer days, Queen Marie would give her a bandage and a kiss on her forehead. Otherwise, she would be dismissed by a brusque "you will recover soon".

She always believed that _to recover_ mean to return to 'normal'. But then again, as a demigod, nothing was ever 'normal'.

So when Percy and Annabeth came back from _that _place and were expected to _recover_, she didn't understand what that even meant for them, just that the road would be very, very long.

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As observant as she was of her favourite couple, she was not the only one who noticed there was something different, or missing rather, about the duo.

To begin with, there were their eyes. It was like shattered glass, broken, as if they left a piece in that hellhole. Percy's eyes no longer held that certain spark that swarms of girls fell heads over heels for, and contained all the beauty of the sea. The grey orbs that often accompanied his green were also of a dull quality, and though they were sometimes intimidating, Hazel missed the swirling storms that always seemed to be brewing in them.

Nobody could miss the way Percy's shoulders tensed whenever someone stood 'too close' to Annabeth, or how he would attempt to pull her protectively behind him before realizing that it was only Piper trying to give her a hug.

They were close before, but now they were joined at the hip, constantly craving physical contact just to remind the other they were alive.

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Coach Hedge had tried to separate them, forcing them to sleep on their own; "no funny business- boys and girls should not be in the same room!" reinforcing each word with a swing of his bat.

But the order was soon withdrawn after the first night. Percy's shrill cries of "Annabeth" broke the chilly nighttime air; the amount of pain and grief in those three syllables brought tears to everyone's eyes, a reminder of the misery their leaders were put through. It did not stop until Annabeth, clad in her pajamas, shot out of bed and sprinted towards Percy's door.

Muffled sobs were echoed through the Argo II, and Hazel's heart clenched painfully as she struggled to dull the sound.

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There are awkward silences at the table, where Percy and Annabeth's playful banter would usually take place. There were times when Hazel would hallucinate, and hear their laughs, ringing through the ship like they used to.

She wished that the Percy and Annabeth she knew would come back, and take the shells that were now in their place. It frightens her to think that if Gaea can diminish even the strongest of demigods, what would happen to her?

Sometimes, she numbly wondered if they would ever come back.

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It first started when she saw the faintest of smiles flashing across Annabeth's face. Percy had just whispered something into her ear, his hands gently cupping her waist.

Already, Hazel was making a prayer to the gods, wishing that the smile would remain.

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The blue pizza and coke soon made a returning appearance to the dinner table.

It has never left since.

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Hazel was certain that her face had turned a tomato red (if her coffee-brown skin would permit, that is) when she caught Percy and Annabeth in acompromising position as she rifled through the broom closet for the tools Leo requested. As Annabeth stuttered through an apology, face flushed and lips swollen from their previous _activities_, Hazel was not sure whether she should be flustered or grateful for the sight.

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Annabeth was sitting with Piper in the main room, laughing over the futile attempt that was Annabeth's up-do. This, usually, would not be a strange sight, except there was no raven-haired boy hovering nearby. No, this was _sans-Percy. _

Hazel's excited squeal could have equaled to that of a Venus girl's.

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There were still bad days, when nightmares would consume their thoughts, their eyes clouded over, resorting to sitting on the deck, clawing at each other to preserve their sanity until it was over.

But otherwise, they were alright.

They rekindled the fires in their eyes, hearts and souls. They were not the same, but that didn't mean they were not better than the Percy and Annabeth pre-Tartarus.

Their shrieks of laughter ran free as Percy chased Annabeth with what looked like orbs of water, high-tailing across the Argo II. Coach Hedge swung his baseball bat against the wall and yelled at them to stop their 'shenanigans', but they were all but half-hearted, a small chuckle escaping his lips.

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Hazel realized that _recovery_ didn't necessarily mean to return to their state of being prior to the event/accident/fall (she had no idea which category _Tartarus_ would fall into); it is to be able to embrace the fact and move on.

They cannot possibly be unaffected by the fall, no – it was silly for her to even think that. But Gaea had involuntarily made Percy and Annabeth even stronger by sending them down _there_, and forcing them through a road of recovery. Their love for each other, for their family and friends, have grown evermore powerful, and so Hazel was certain now that nothing could bring them down, ever again.

_**Fin.**_

**A/N: **So that's that. Heh. I'm not quite sure if I like it yet. I might suddenly come back with new edits that will make it better. If anybody else finished the House of Hades, please PM me – I need someone to rant to without spoiling it for them.

Pretty please, leave a review for me? With a cherry on top?


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